‘Businesses in Sri Lanka should aim at
attracting a greater diversity of customers, including the
nearly 30 percent of the population who are disabled for various
reasons, for the purpose of not only building commercial
prosperity but for also making Sri Lanka a more caring society,’
Dr. Ajith Perera, a fervent advocate of better built
environments and facilities for the country’s disabled said.

The key concept in this context is ‘design for
inclusion,’ he explained in an interview with the ‘Sunday
Island.’ Public and other buildings should be designed or
constructed in such a manner that they facilitate the movements
of not only the able but the disabled too and it should be
remembered that disability takes myriad forms. There are the
obvious forms of disability, such as immobility of limbs,
paralysis, blindness, deafness and dumbness and these are only
the more visible forms of disability. However, it is also
important to take cognizance of a range of debilitating
conditions, such as aging, rheumatism, arthritis, dizziness,
impaired vision, old age and even pregnancy which hamper our
movements and all such limiting factors should be considered as
disabling. These conditions account for the high 30 percent of
the disabled among us and building designs should facilitate the
movements of these persons and accommodate all of them. Business
establishments, for example, should strongly consider modifying
their buildings to facilitate the movement of the disabled
because – among other things – this will bring in more
customers.

Excerpts of the interview:

Q: You are the founder of ‘Idiriya’, an
organization committed to the cause of helping the disabled.
What progress has been made by ‘Idiriya’ over the past two years
since its founding?

A: One of the focuses of ‘Idiriya’ has been
helping in the establishment of suitable built environments
which would benefit the disabled of this country. Accordingly,
‘design for inclusion’ has been one of our guiding principles.
‘Idiriya’ was established by me along with a few professionals
and we have been advocating building designs and their
implementation which would be inclusive of the disabled and
facilitate their mobility. This is the essence of ‘design for
inclusion’. Our advocacy has had three emphases: First, we have
tried to impress on the business community in particular the
need to not only modify their present built environments to
facilitate the disabled, but to also invest more money on
establishing public facilities for the disabled. Secondly, we
have tried to bring about attitudinal changes among the public
to facilitate these ends. Thirdly, we have tried to make the
business community to see that ‘design for inclusion’ is a
winning way to generating more business.

Over the past 10 months our advocacy has shown
some success. For example, organizations such as, Hotel Taj
Samudra, Airport Gardens Hotel, Seeduwa, HSBC Premium Center,
Flower Rd., Glaxo, Ratmalana, HNB Wattala, Arpico Super Centre,
Hyde Park Corner, Dehiwela and Mt. Lavinia post offices,
Dehiwela Municipal Council, Astron Ltd, the Superior Courts
Complex, Hulftsdorp and the British Council, Colombo have
modified their buildings to facilitate the disabled. HSBC
Premium Centre has not only made the necessary modifications to
its buildings but made a series of internal changes to help the
disabled. All this has been achieved in just 10 months. Through
these changes brought about under the ‘design for inclusion’
project, the relevant sections of the business world are helping
to eliminate a range of grievous social problems. They are also
generating better business by attracting a diversity of people
including, of course, the disabled, who would be comfortable in
these new surroundings.

Q: These public facilities which you have
helped establish, are they accessible to all sections of the
disabled?

A: In our thinking we embrace what is
called the social model. We do not go by the outdated medical
model. According to the social model, in caring for the
disabled, the first category of persons we need to be concerned
about is the aging population who are 15 percent of our
population and are rising. Those coming under the second
category show no visible signs of disability. For example, those
suffering from rheumatism, arthritis, back problems, knee
problems, vertigo, vision impairment and diabetes. All these
persons have mobility problems. The third category consists of
pregnant mothers and those mothers who carry children. The
fourth category are made-up, obviously, of accident victims. All
these sections of the disabled make-up 30 percent of the
population at any given time. According to the social model
these persons suffer from some form of impairment but they are
dragged to the ranks of the disabled on account of negative
public attitudes. For instance, a wheel-chair user cannot pass
through a narrow doorway. Doorways are usually designed for only
fully mobile persons. However, sensitivity to the needs of the
disabled will help to introduce disable-friendly doorways. What
is important is to devise facilities which will enable the
disabled to achieve what they want.

So, changes to the living environment, brought
about even gradually, would help all categories of our disabled
to see to their needs and thereby improve the quality of their
lives. A lesser number of people would be dependents and they
would be able to optimize their potential.

At a time when we are speaking of economic
growth, poverty alleviation etc. we need to use the capabilities
of everyone. A person may be in crutches but would prove very
productive if the opportunities and facilities are provided for
such persons to be up and about, contributing towards national
development. Idiriya has been endeavoring to do this.

Q: Are you satisfied with the public sector’s
response to Idiriya’s programmes?

A: Personally yes, but as a country no. The
Ministry of Social Services is following the state regulations
regarding disable -friendly built environments but no other
ministry has provided the support and modified their
environments. For example, the two state banks which come under
the President himself. The Social Services Ministry occupies the
fifth floor of a building. So many other ministries which occupy
other floors in the same building, have done nothing to make
their buildings disable-friendly. The regulation concerned was
passed by all parties in Parliament but except for the Social
Services Ministry no other ministry has moved a finger to
implement it.

However, the Tourism Ministry and hotels, which
are in lucrative businesses, are not doing anything about the
regulation. Hotels welcome a range of customers including
disabled persons. If the facilities are installed in hotels we
could generate more foreign exchange.

People need to realize the benefits that such
disable-friendly facilities bring to all sections of society. We
constantly need to raise awareness on these issues and when
those with the means bring about even small changes, the
cumulative result could be substantial. However, the weapon of
persuasion should be constantly used.